Unlocking Healthy Conversations: Strategies for Talking with Teens About Mental Health
In Part Two of our series on effective communication, Rebekah Gibbons, LICSW, will take participants through four common scenarios. In each scenario, she will teach parents and caring adults how to use communication strategies that work. You will learn how to validate your teen’s feelings and discuss sensitive topics.
A place to learn
At Families for Depression Awareness (FFDA), we focus on the families of people living with depression or bipolar disorder ("mood disorders"), equipping family caregivers with education and training so they can provide effective, constructive support to their loved ones.
Mood disorders affect everyone in a family, not only those with the diagnosis. Each family member should be able to have their needs identified and addressed.
In addition to passing along a higher likelihood of having a mood disorder, parents living with a mood disorder can find it hard to engage with their children, take care of household chores, do their work, and sometimes even to get out of bed.
Family caregivers risk wearing themselves out as they help their loved one seek treatment, manage the household and the family, and try to keep a roof over their heads.
Since our beginning, we have shared family stories to help caregivers feel like they are not alone, show that families can address mood disorders together, inspire hope, and dispel stigma. Each year, we add to our library of honest and inspiring accounts of families facing the challenges of mood disorders and suicide.
Postpartum Depression and Maternal Mental Health: How Caregivers Can Help
Maternal mental health conditions affect 1 in 5 women. With added stress in the home, caregivers — including fathers, spouses and partners, parents and guardians, and adoptive parents — are vulnerable to burnout and depression. With the right education, caregivers can recognize when help is needed and how to access it.
Creating Healthy Tech and Media Habits with Your Teen
For Family Caregivers, Family Members, Friends, and Caring Adults interested in learning about the effect of technology and media on teen mental health and how to support teens’ wellness.
Building Your Family Caregiver Toolkit: Strategies for Supporting Loved Ones to Get Well
Your self-care may take a back seat as you try to balance everything. Unfortunately, ignoring your own wellness often leads to stress, overwhelm, and, sometimes, your own battle with depression. This is where your caregiver toolkit can come in to provide hope and keep you well.
My Teen Won’t Talk With Me! Strategies for Building Trust and Communicating Effectively
For Parents and Other Caregivers, Youth Workers, and Caring Adults Interested in Building Trust with Their Teen and Communicating Effectively